Friend-Zoned (14 page)

Ceecee and I are on the
sidewalk and I ask her, “Do you want to wheel yourself or do you
mind if I push you along?”
She shoots me a shy smile, “I dunno. Whatever you want. I’m okay
with either.”
I jump up and click my heels together, Ceecee laughs at my
silliness. I hoot, “Hot damn! I always wanted to drive your
car!”
I push her along the sidewalk up the road to the salon. I’ve called
ahead and let them know Ceecee is wheelchair bound. Luckily, they
have suitable access.
A woman coming out of the salon holds the door open for us, we go
in and thank her.
Tanya owns Bells and Whistles salon. I’ve been getting manicures
from her and her girls for two years and I like her a lot. When I
called I told her I needed a deluxe princess treatment and she
worked out a schedule for us. Tanya is in her forties but looks
about thirty. She is always made up and her long hair is dyed a
vivid red.
As soon as Ceecee spots her making her way over to us she gasps,
her voice awed, “Can I get my hair like that?” I actually laugh out
loud at the thought of bringing her back to Max with bright red
hair.
“Well, hey there Tina! Is this Princess Ceecee that’s scheduled in
with us today?” Tanya is looking down at Ceecee with a huge smile
on her pretty face.
I chuckle and state, “This is the one and only Princess Ceecee.” I
decide to act out a bit. I put my nose in the air. “I demand the
best of service for her. Her father is a king after all.”
Ceecee giggles and covers her mouth with one hand. Tanya widens her
eyes and she plays along, “But, of course. Only the best of service
for Princess Ceecee. Please, come this way.”
I push Ceecee over to the first station for a facial. As I walk
past Tanya she scrunches up her face, puts a hand on her chest and
mouths, “She’s beautiful.”
Don’t I
know it.
Tanya takes a seat beside
Ceecee’s chair and explains what will be done to her today. “Okay,
princess Ceecee, today we’re going to start with a facial. That’s
where I’ll put some cold goop on your face. We’ll leave it on for
about ten minutes and then wipe it off. Then I’ll do your
fingernails and toe nails. You can pick whatever color you want on
them. After that, I’ll trim and style your hair. And we’ll finish
up with a massage. How does that sound, honey bun?”
Ceecee’s eyes are wide. She whispers to Tanya, “Good. Thank
you.”
Tanya smiles big at Ceecee, “Well you’re a princess and you deserve
the best, sweetie.”
Ceecee smiles, lowers her eyes and whispers,
“Okay.”
Sweet baby Jesus, I love this
child.
Every time I see Ceecee my
heart melts. She is so lovable and warm. She seems is disbelief
whenever someone compliments her, though. That bothers me. By the
end of today I want her to feel good. As good as she’s ever
felt.
Tanya applies our face masks and while we’re waiting for them to
set I hear Ceecee singing along with the radio. “You are now, now
rockin’ with Will.I.Am and Britney, Bitch.”
I gasp and softly reprimand her, “Ceecee, we are ladies and
princesses, and we do
not
say b i t c h.” I end on a whisper and have no
idea why I felt the need to spell the word when she just said
it.
Ceecee becomes thoughtful then looks back to me and says, “But
Britney said bitch and she’s a lady.”
Damn it, Britney. Now look at what you’ve
done!
My eye twitches as I try to
think of an acceptable answer, “Ah, I guess…Well…That is…Britney is
over the age of twenty one. She is an adult and she can do what she
likes. And she isn’t a princess.” I pat her hand and feel I’ve won
this round.
Her eyes widen and she says slowly, “So, when I’m twenty one I can
do
whatever
I
like?”
Without thinking I say, “Sure.”
She leans closer to me and drops a bomb. “Even get a
tattoo?”
Oh, Poop! How did this
happen??!
I sputter, “Uh, yes, I
suppose…”
Ceecee becomes so excited she almost yells, “That’s so cool! I want
one just like daddy and uncle Nik’s. That way everyone will know
we’re family.”
“…with your father’s permission, of course.”
But Ceecee doesn’t hear me, she’s too far gone in her mind getting
all sorts of crazy ideas that people frown upon.
After our facials, manicures, and pedicures Tanya brings us a lunch
of sandwiches and fruit salad. Ceecee eats half a sandwich and some
fruit. When I coax her to eat more she gives me some information I
never knew. She tells me, “Daddy said people in wheelchairs don’t
eat much. They don’t have to eat as much as regular people.”
Sorrow painfully shoots through my chest. I don’t like what she
just said.
I respond, “Honey, you
are
regular people. You’ve just got a sweet ride,
that’s all.”
She smiles a sad smile, “It’s okay, Tina. I know I’m different.
It’s why I don’t make any friends and change schools a lot.”
My face drops. I cautiously ask, “How many times have you changed
schools, angel?”
She toys with a piece of cantaloupe on her plate, avoiding my gaze
and replies, “Four times in three years.”
That. Is. Huge. No child should be changing schools
that
much.
“Can I ask why, honey?” I ask carefully.
Still avoiding my eyes, she explains in a small voice, “People make
fun of me. They call me weird. They say I’m a freak.” My heart is
actually breaking. I can feel it split in two. Her blank eyes focus
on my legs and she continues quietly, “I never make any friends. I
don’t know why.” She finishes with a small shrug and is so quiet I
can barely hear her.
This is so upsetting to me.
I can’t even imagine how this little angel feels. Bullying is a
huge issue nationwide. The unfortunate truth is kids can be cruel.
They don’t realize what they’re actually doing to a person when
they poke fun at them.
I clear my throat to clear any thickness and steady my voice.
“Well, that’s going to change. You’re a princess. Princesses don’t
let people make fun of them. They stick up for themselves. And I’ll
tell you how. Whenever someone says something ugly to you, lift
your hand, smile and wave at them. That way, it’s them who look
silly. Not you.”
Her face is still lowered but I see a small smile twitch her lips.
I take it as good sign and continue “And making friends isn’t that
hard, honey. A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. All
it takes is for someone to make the first move. So here’s what I
want you to do. Next time you see someone who looks nice, just go
on up to them and say Hi. The rest will come easy after that. You
don’t have anything to lose.”
I mentally cross my fingers and wait.
After a long silence, Ceecee looks up at me and smiles, “Okay,
Tina.”
Really? That easy?! No
freakin’ way!
I make a mental note to
do cartwheels
outside
of the salon.
I smile back at her.
Yay! Today was a
good idea.
***

We’re all in the ‘chill
out’ room brainstorming when the elevator dings followed by the
familiar sounds of two ladies talking and
laughing.
They’re
back.
I smile to myself. What Tina
pulled this morning was so unexpected. I know Max was grateful for
it, though. Ceecee gets so bored here on Saturdays. It’s the one
day a week that mom or our sisters can’t take her. As soon as we
got back into the conference room, Max looks right at me and says,
“If you don’t wife that girl, one of
us
will.”
I was surprised to see even Ghost nodding in agreement.
Tina sure is a force. Just storms in and storms back out. Normally,
leaving you confused.
Tina enters the ‘chill out’ room and clears her throat
dramatically. She lifts her arm, sways it to the side and
announces, “May I present, the ever lovely, Princess Ceecee.”
And in comes Cricket looking, not only pretty, but happy. All of us
guys whistle and cheer while Ceecee giggles.
I take a sip of my coffee as Ceecee speaks, “Tina said I could get
a tattoo!”
I choke, sputter, and coffee ends up all over my shirt.
The silence is deafening. That doesn’t sound like something
my
Tina would say.
Tina laughs nervously and corrects her, “Um, actually I said when
you were twenty one you could do what you please. I also said you
had to ask your dad’s permission first.” Tina looks at Max and nods
vigorously.
That sounds more like it. My little Cricket is already becoming a
cheeky one.
Max narrows his eyes at Tina and asks Ceecee, “Baby, did Tina pay
with daddy’s card?”
As soon as the question is out Tina stiffens and I want to burst
out laughing. She didn’t use the card.
What Ceecee says next proves Tina somehow got through to her, “Um,
I’m not sure daddy. I didn’t see. She
must
have. I’m pretty sure she did.
Yes, she did. I’m
sure
she did.” Cricket is lying her ass off to protect Tina.
Max’s eyes remain narrowed and at Tina, whose eyes are wide and her
neck is bright red, then he answers Ceecee, “Well, if you’re sure,
angel.”
Tina finally caves and blurts out, “Princess’ daddies don’t pay for
princess things, their fairy godmothers do!”
Ceecee turns to face Tina and asks quietly, “Are you my fairy
godmother?”
Tina’s eyes crinkle as she touches Ceecee’s cheek and confidently
states, “Today I am.”
Yeah. Tina’s
the shit.

Chapter Eleven
Cherry Bombs

Tina left shortly after
returning Ceecee to The White Rabbit. And the rest of the day
consisted of Ceecee going on and on and
on
about Tina and what she said and
did and that she eats a lot and how Tina said ladies and princesses
don’t say the word bitch. Tina is Cricket’s new idol.
Before she left, she took me and Max aside and spoke to us about
Ceecee. What she told us wasn’t anything we didn’t know but at
least she was trying to help.
She told us, “Ceecee is really insecure. I spoke to her about a few
things today and got a few answers if you want them. I normally
wouldn’t tell you but it’s not like she swore me to secrecy.”
Max looks dejected and quietly replied, “That would be good,
T.”
She puffed out a breath and remarked “Where to start? Um, Ceecee
has
no
idea how
to make friends. I told her the basics but because she’s been
bullied she’s extra shy. So I gave her a little advice about the
bullying, even though when she told me I wanted to ask her what
school she went to and give those bullies something to talk about!”
She nods enthusiastically as she says this, eyes wide. I try my
hardest not to laugh. “She also told me everyone in the family
treats her like a baby.” She puts her hand on Max’s. “This isn’t
helping her, honey. She’s nine going on eighteen. And she’s smart.
She knows when she’s being babied.”
Max runs his free hand through his hair and explains, “I don’t know
how to be any other way. I try not to, T.”
She takes both of his hands, pulls them up to her chest and looks
his right in the eye.
She answers fiercely, “Try harder, honey. She needs you. And it’s
great to be protective of her but she doesn’t need a bodyguard,
Max. She needs a daddy who she can come to with her problems, not a
father that tries to stop all the problems before they’ve even
happened.”
Max drops her hands and pulls her into a bear hug. They rock from
side to side.
Max says, “I’ll try, T.”
“That’s great, honey.” She smiles, loosens her hold on him and
looks up. “I have to go. I’ll see you guys tonight, right?”
Max kisses her forehead and replies, “Bet your life on it.” He
releases her and she walks over to me.
“I need a hug from Niki.”
I smile and pull her into my arms. I saw Max leave my office. Tina
toys with my collar and speaks softly, “He’ll be okay,
right?”
I smile into her forehead, “Of course sweetheart. He’s tough. I
know he’d do anything for her. He’ll try harder, you’ll see.”
She smiles up at me and reaches on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.
Her lips brush the very corner of mine but she doesn’t seem
bothered by it. She says, “See you tonight, Niki.” And then she’s
gone.
Freakin’
A.
***

The girls all come to my
apartment to get ready to go to The White Rabbit.
I tell them how my day went with Ceecee and although they’re sad
for the little chicken being bullied and friendless, they’re happy
she had a great time.
I feed Bear and give him a cuddle then we all commence Project
Get-Ready-For-The-Club.
Primping. Curling. Straightening. Making Up. Dressing Up. And an
hour later we’re ready to go.
Mimi looks stunning in a Safira bought little black dress with
black and white checkered heels; black makes her blue eyes pop. She
wears her honey blonde hair straight.
Lola looks beautiful in a dark green kaftan style dress that’s
tighter around the top and flows around her feet with sandals. Her
long brown hair is wildly curled. She goes with little makeup but
with bright red lips. She looks like a sexy gypsy.
Nat is just gorgeous in a gold halter dress that goes to her feet
with a wicked split up the thigh; she wears gold sandals that strap
up the calf. Her violet hair is straight tonight; she makes herself
up so her green eyes are surrounded by a smoky black shadow.
I’m dressed wearing yet another long sleeved black backless dress
that comes mid-thigh. This one has silver beaded patterns through
it. I finish it with black silver-studded heels. I feel good in
this dress. Although the back is so low you can’t wear underwear
with it which I feel a little uncomfortable with but the girls
swear you can’t tell. I put on a little eyeliner and mascara and
finish with a light pink gloss.
We arrive at The White Rabbit around 11pm and walk right up to
B-Rock who smiles at us and says, “I was wonderin’ if I’d ever see
you girls again. Thanks for not breakin’ my heart.” He winks and
lets us in. Mimi rubs his bald head, Lola pats his cheek, Nat winks
back at him and when I walk past him, I put my hand on his chest
and kiss his cheek.
The club is pumping and we’re giddy. We walk straight up stairs to
be greeted by Asian Alice who smiles at us and says, “Ah, the
Safira party has arrived. Right this way, ladies.”
Everyone knows us!
I feel like a rock star!
Asian Alice walks us to our huge booth and takes our first drink
orders. We decide on cherry bombs which is a bad idea because these
babies go straight to my head but I cave. All they are is Red Bull
and cherry vodka.
We’ve been sitting, chatting, and laughing for an hour and a half.
We’re finishing our third drinks when I see Mimi smiling at
something behind me. I turn and all the guys are there walking
toward us.
I smile a hugely stupid smile. I’m so happy to see them even though
I just saw them some hours ago.
They look
hawt
!
Trick and Ghost wear what I assume is their uniform which is a
tight black V-neck t-shirt over black slacks and dress shoes. Max
is wearing a black button up shirt over black jeans and dress
shoes. And last but definitely not least is Nik. He’s wearing a
white button up shirt over dark blue jeans and dress shoes and
looks oh-so-yummy.
All the girls stand to exchange hugs and greetings, then we all sit
back down. A waitress brings the guys a drink I hadn’t know they’d
ordered and she also brings us another round. I’m already fuzzy
headed. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch with Ceecee. Stupidly,
I shoot the rest of my drink and pick up my fourth.
Nik has chosen the seat next to me and I’m glad. I put my hand on
his thigh and scootch over to be closer to him. He smiles down at
me and puts his arm around my shoulder.
I make eye contact with Mimi who pokes her tongue out at me and
shoots me a cruel smile. She speaks loudly so everyone can hear
her, “I have a great idea. Who wants to play Truth or
Truth?”
Son of a Big Mac… I’ll cut a
bitch!
She knows I hate these games.
They’re always dirty and give me hives.
Unlucky for me, everyone agrees. Mimi goes first. “Max, have you
ever fantasized about someone other than the person you were
actually having sex with?”
He laughs, “Yep. I have. I was dating this girl in high school and
every time I closed my eyes I’d see Christie Brinkley.” Everyone
laughs with him and he asks, “Okay, Nat. If I were a food what
would I be and how would you eat me?”
A loud chorus of
Ooooooh
crosses the booth.
Nat takes it all in stride and says, “Well, I guess you’d be an ice
cream.” She looks at Max with lowered eyes and makes her voice
sultry. “I
loooove
ice cream. I like to lick it up slowly, especially when it
runs down the cone.” She takes Max’s hand and licks his finger
slowly. Max’s eye flutter closed and he looks like he’s in
pain.
We’re all laughing so hysterically.
Ghost doesn’t look impressed.
Nat puts Max’s hand in his lap and he adjusts himself through his
pants. “Damn girl, you gave me a semi.” She bursts out laughing and
says, “Okay, Nik. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever
done?”
He stretches his arms over his head and smiles. “When I was in
fourth grade I had a crush on my teacher.” He chuckles at himself.
“I wanted her to be my girlfriend. So, one afternoon I went to her
house with flowers and candy. I rang the doorbell.” He puts a hand
over his face. “And her husband answered the door. I dropped the
shit and ran like hell.” After we stop laughing, he says, “Mimi,
have you ever masturbated?”
Trick puts his arm around her and tells her, “Coz you know I’d be
happy to help.”
She flashes a huge grin and says, “Yep. At least twice a week.
Sorry guys but sometimes you just need to please yourself.” The
guys groan in agony. Mimi asks, “Lola, who was the first guy you
let touch your boobs?”
Lola looks up and thinks hard. She tells us, “I think I was fifteen
and barely had any boobs. It was my cousin’s best friend Frankie,
he was sixteen and he gave me my first kiss and went in for a
feelski. I didn’t mind though ‘coz he was hot.” She looks around
the table. “Meanwhile, I saw him at church the other week. He was
sporting a bald head and a pot belly! So lucky I didn’t end up with
him. Trick, have you ever peed in a pool?”
Trick leans back in his chair with a goofy grin and says, “Yep!
Just the other day at the gym.”
We all scoff in disgust and he defends himself with, “It don’t
matter, all the chemicals kill the pee! Max, what was the worst
pick up line you ever used and did it work?”
Max smiles and says,“I told a girl once I’d lost my bed and asked
if I could borrow hers. She wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
But I did get laid that night.”
We all boo and hiss. Max looks right at me and asks, “Teeny Tina,
have you ever watched porn?”
Crap on
a biscuit!
“Uh. I- Uh.” I cover my
face with my hands and nod. I hear everyone laugh and can feel
Nik’s arm tighten around my body shaking. I drop my hands and turn
my flushed face and bright red neck to Ghost. “Ghost, what kind of
underwear are you wearing?”
Ghost smirks at me and answers quietly, “I would tell you if I were
wearin’ any.”
The girls whoop and the guys groan. He just smiles and asks, “Lola,
what’s the strangest name someone’s asked to call you in
bed?”
Lola’s shoulders shake with silent laughter and she replies, “There
was a guy who called me puppy and wanted me to bark like a dog.”
Her body shakes and tears fall down her smiling face. “I didn’t
like him enough to put up with that shit.” Lola looks at Trick with
a shy smile and asks, “Trick, what do you find most sexy in a
woman?”
He looks up at her with a slow smile. It’s a genuine smile and says
softly, “I’m not sure, little Lola. Look in a mirror and let me
know.”
We all whoop and Lola blushes as red as a tomato.
Trick looks at Nik and smirks, “What’s the fastest you’ve ever
come?” Everyone bursts into laughter. Nik chuckles and says, “I
think the first time I ever had sex I lasted about twenty seconds.”
We’re all in hysterics. Nik interrupts our laughter with, “I’d like
to let everyone know I’ve vastly improved since then!”
Nik tugs my hair and I’m afraid to look at him. I know I’m next. He
asks, “Tina, how many men have you slept with?” The whole table
quiets down and my girls send me sympathetic smiles. I clear my
throat and answer, “I’ve only ever slept with one guy. And it was a
while ago.” I feel Nik’s body still against me.
Max looks shocked but continues to probe, “Well then that
question’s not valid. When is the last time you had sex?”
Thirty seconds pass and I hold up my hand extending my thumb and
all my fingers. Max looks at my hand and says, “Five months? That’s
rough.”
Nat shifts in her chair. Lola looks at the table. Mimi shoots me an
apologetic look.
I whisper, “F- Five years.” I feel Nik’s body stiffen. Rock
solid.
The silence is deafening. And I think I saw a tumble weed roll
past.
Max whispers loudly, “No Fuckin’ Way!” He leans closer to me and
asks, “How are you not masturbating at the table right now?! You
must have a will of steel. That’s amazing, babe.” He sounds
respectful.
Ahh, Thanks
Max.
I avoid the shocked stares of the guys and sympathetic smiles of
the girls. I shrug and ask, “Anyone need a fresh drink? I certainly
do.”
Before anyone can answer I walk over to the bar and order another
cherry bomb. I’m stumbling slightly and feeling loose. I’m tipsy
and it feels good.
I walk back to the booth. Trick and Ghost have left to do some
work. Nat has gone to the bathroom. Nik pats his lap. I lower
myself and sit sideways on him. He lifts my hair, puts his mouth to
my ear and says, “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot, honey. If
I knew it would make you uncomfortable I would never have asked
that question.”
I put a hand on his chest and with a smile say, “That’s okay Niki.
It is what it is. I can’t deny it.” I lift my drink to sip at it
and miss my mouth completely. I may be a little more than tipsy. I
spill my drink down the front of Nik’s shirt.
I trill, “Holy buckets! I’m so sorry, Nik.” I use my hand to wipe
the drink off his shirt but all I do is smear the bright orange
liquid over even more of it. He takes my hands and I look up at
him. He’s smiling hard at me, dimple and all. He says, “I keep a
spare shirt in my office. I’ll go change.”
I move off his lap and as he goes to move away I hold on to his
hand. “I’ll go with you.”
Nik smiles and pulls me closer to him. “C’mon, honey.” He leads me
into a hall behind the bar and opens the
door.
Wow!
It opens opposite the ‘chill out’ room. I follow him to his
office and he starts unbuttoning his shirt. I know I should look
away but I’m a bit drunk and I want to see what he’s got hiding
there. He has all the buttons down the front open and he’s working
on the sleeves.
He asks, “Can you please get my other shirt from over there?” He
nods to the clothes hanger in the corner. I grab the freshly
laundered garment and take off the wrapper. Underneath is the silk
lilac shirt he was wearing the day we met.
I state, “You were wearing this the day I met you.”
He smirks and says softly, “I know.”
Then he takes off his wet shirt.
Holy
smokes!
Nik is even better looking
without a shirt. His abs are clearly defined. He has a small
smatter of chest hair. His arms are amazing! They’re muscular and
have veins running up them. He has tattoos, too. His jeans fall low
on his hips. On his right hip is a tattoo of a cross. On his right
bicep is a large printed tattoo that looks like XAOC. I have no
idea what that is. He’s removed his watch. His wrist has a tattoo
on the inside. It says Ceecee.
Aww,
I love Ceecee, too!
Behind his left
ear is a tribal tattoo that comes down to his neck. Still
shirtless, he turns and I think I gasp out loud. His entire back is
tattooed. One big picture. It’s a bit scary actually. There are
seven blank eyed angels up in the clouds holding swords of flame.
They’re fighting off five devil-like creatures with horns on their
heads and pointy tails that are reaching in to the clouds. It
literally gives me shivers.
Nik breaks me out of my spell when he pulls the lilac shirt on.
Once he’s buttoned up he holds out his hand, I take it and we exit
his office. As we make our way down the hall Nik stops suddenly. He
puts a finger to his mouth and I quiet myself. There are banging
noises coming from the opposite end of the hall.
We tiptoe to the conference room and the noise get
louder.
Bang-Clink-Moan-Thump-Groan
Nik
smirks and puts his ear to the door. His body shakes with silent
laughter and he motions for me to come closer.
Eyes wide, I put my ear to the door and listen.
A girl. “Oh my god.”
Thump-Clink-Bang.
A guy. “Fuck, you feel good.”
Moan-Groan.
The girl. “Oh God.
You’re amazing!”
Moan
. “I still hate you. Ooooh.”
Thump-Clink-Bang.
The guy. “I
hate you too, pretty girl.”
Groan
. “Fuck me, do that
again.”
Groan
.
I know that voice.
It’s Nat.
I look up to Nik with a hand over my mouth. His eyes are dancing.
He mouths, “Ghost.”
Ghost moans again then says, “Say my name, pretty girl.”
Thump-Bang-Thump
.
Nat groans, “Ghost! Fuck me, Ghost!”
Bang-Clink-Thump.
“No baby, say my
name
.”
Clink-Bang-Moan.
Nat pants, “Ash- Asher! Oh God, Ash... Harder Ash.”
Groan-Thump-Bang.
Ghost states, “Any harder and I’ll put you through the fuckin’
table!”
Moan-Clink-Groan.
I giggle and
Nik bursts into silent laughter. He pulls me back to his office,
closes the door and we laugh hysterically.
My best friend is shtupping broody
Ghost!
Nik has his arms around my
waist. I hold on to the front of his shirt. We laugh til we’re in
tears. When we finally stop laughing we look into each other’s
faces. I stop smiling. I want him so badly. And it’s not the booze
talking. I want him to kiss me right